[HellooooThar]

It is hard to go wrong with a 1950-1953 Sylvania 6SN7GT just be patient until you can pick one up for $50 to $70. If you don't like it you can always sell it for what you paid. It is almost impossible to go wrong with a 1940s Tung Sol 6SN7GT with round plates and round micas but spending $250 on a tube for a $500 amp is probably overkill for most.

Yeah all I can say is my tube preferences changed from Vali 2 to Lyr 2 with the HE 400I despite both amps using 6922 variants. The Lyr 2 is punchier and “bigger” IMO. It didn’t need some of the sound that I was getting from tubes I had liked on the Vali. Now I’m liking more laid back tubes like the Matsu 7DJ8 over the likes of the 1959 Bugle Boys I had liked before.

 

[Wes S]

I think you're still going to want to tube roll with the Lyr. I used the Vali to find the tube I like. Now I have the option of upgrading to the Lyr knowing what tube I want to use.

Thing is some tubes work better with different amps. So the tube you love in the Vali 2, might not be the one for the Lyr 3.

 

[Grado Diesel]

I’m looking for another good tube for my Vali 2. I’m powering a pair of Hifiman HE400i’s. A day after receiving it in the mail I quickly purchased a Genelex Gold Lion ECC88 and have been using that for 2 years. A week ago I picked up an EHX 6CG7 with gold pins and man what a difference. The highs are even smoother, the bass warmed up and punchy. I’m wondering what’s another good tube to try? I don’t love brash highs or piercing “s’s”’ from vocals. I listen to a lot of rocknroll and guitar driven music - Allman Brothers, Zep, Grateful Dead, Jeff Beck, Mountain, etc. I’m kinda thinking of getting an adapter and getting a Tung-sol 6SN7. Any recommendations for a must have? I really don’t want to spend more than $40 something for my next tube -unless it’s heavenly.

 

[Keno18]

I’m looking for another good tube for my Vali 2. I’m powering a pair of Hifiman HE400i’s. A day after receiving it in the mail I quickly purchased a Genelex Gold Lion ECC88 and have been using that for 2 years. A week ago I picked up an EHX 6CG7 with gold pins and man what a difference. The highs are even smoother, the bass warmed up and punchy. I’m wondering what’s another good tube to try? I don’t love brash highs or piercing “s’s”’ from vocals. I listen to a lot of rocknroll and guitar driven music - Allman Brothers, Zep, Grateful Dead, Jeff Beck, Mountain, etc. I’m kinda thinking of getting an adapter and getting a Tung-sol 6SN7. Any recommendations for a must have? I really don’t want to spend more than $40 something for my next tube -unless it’s heavenly.

The only other tube I could recommend would be the vintage Tung-Sol 6sn7gt "mouse ears". They are kind of scarce at the moment on ebay. But I have been able to find a decent tube for anywhere from $22 to $45.

 

[Wes S]

I would recommend an adapter and the WE396A/2C51. This is a warm tube, and is very natural sounding, very 3d like, with the some of the best bass i have heard. I think it could work nice with some rock. They can be expensive, but you can find one for around $50, if you look hard enough. This is a tube that one of the makers of the amp loves, by the way.

 

[HellooooThar]

I’m looking for another good tube for my Vali 2. I’m powering a pair of Hifiman HE400i’s. A day after receiving it in the mail I quickly purchased a Genelex Gold Lion ECC88 and have been using that for 2 years. A week ago I picked up an EHX 6CG7 with gold pins and man what a difference. The highs are even smoother, the bass warmed up and punchy. I’m wondering what’s another good tube to try? I don’t love brash highs or piercing “s’s”’ from vocals. I listen to a lot of rocknroll and guitar driven music - Allman Brothers, Zep, Grateful Dead, Jeff Beck, Mountain, etc. I’m kinda thinking of getting an adapter and getting a Tung-sol 6SN7. Any recommendations for a must have? I really don’t want to spend more than $40 something for my next tube -unless it’s heavenly.

I’m pretty sure you can do even better than that 6CG7. The 396A is supposed to be one of the warmer tubes.

That being said, I really liked my large O getter Amperex 6CG7 from ‘72. One of the ones with the connected single heater wire at the top. I have 400Is myself and I thought the bass really opened up with the 6CG7 and presentation just felt nice.

I haven’t heard one on a Vali (have a Lyr 2 now) but my new favorite cheap tube is the Matsuschita “Mullard” 7DJ8 (mine is branded National). I LOVE it with the 400I on the Lyr. Smooth but holographic highs, clean bass with a little warmth and a sort of “butter” in the midrange. You can find them for real cheap (last time I checked) if you just need singles.

 

[Grado Diesel]

I would recommend an adapter and the WE396A/2C51. This is a warm tube, and is very natural sounding, very 3d like, with the some of the best bass i have heard. I think it could work nice with some rock. They can be expensive, but you can find one for around $50, if you look hard enough. This is a tube that one of the makers of the amp loves, by the way.

Do those WE396A/2C51 tubes already fit in the 6922 socket on the Vali?

 

[Keno18]

Do those WE396A/2C51 tubes already fit in the 6922 socket on the Vali?

No. You need an adapter. (Ebay)

 

[Keno18]

@Grado Diesel: The Tung-Sol 6sn7gt "mouse ears" is a good option for a warm tube and is usually highly rated. Ebay has them again for $20-$25 plus shipping. The adapter and socket saver is back in stock on tubedepot.com.

 

[Mr Trev]

Do those WE396A/2C51 tubes already fit in the 6922 socket on the Vali?

Technically, those tubes do fit the Vali2 socket - being 9 pin and all. They are wired differently however - IIRC it's just the heaters on different pins, so you'll need to use an adapter
Or you could just do this:

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Here is a 6SN7 to 6922 adapters which is sitting atop a socket-saver. The tube is a JJ 6SN7

...jotted down the codes. Thanks, eh. I’ll do my first purchase via Tube Depot (and suck up the CDN/USD exchange rate + GST + brokerage fee). Canuck Audio Mart [link] is a bit too wild-West for me. I could save money, at the risk of being hosed. Meh.

 

[Mr Trev]

...jotted down the codes. Thanks, eh. I’ll do my first purchase via Tube Depot (and suck up the CDN/USD exchange rate + GST + brokerage fee). Canuck Audio Mart [link] is a bit too wild-West for me. I could save money, at the risk of being hosed. Meh.

Hey, just a heads up…
If you ever decide to buy some tubes off ebay, make sure you don't buy from anybody using the "Global Shipping Program". It seems nice and convenient, having the final price baked in (eg. no extra taxes/fees), but chances are pretty good the tubes will be seized at the border as "dangerous goods". Hasn't happened to me, but that's probably just because I've talked to people it has happened to first.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Technically, those tubes do fit the Vali2 socket - being 9 pin and all. They are wired differently however - IIRC it's just the heaters on different pins, so you'll need to use an adapter
Or you could just do this:

DANGER WILL ROBINSON. DANGER. DANGER. DANGER. When does the magic blue smoke start billowing out of it?

“...and they all moved away from me... sitting on the Group W bench there....”

@Mr Trev ...It’s a well crafted image. It’s beautiful, in its own sinister [and tentacled] way. I respect that.

 

[nixternal]

This is getting ridiculous thanks to Tube Depot. Socket Saver + 6SN7 to 6922 Adapter + JJ 6SN7. Looks dumb as all hell, but oh lord does it sound beautiful! Steely Dan with Babylon Sisters is buttery smooth, and this is out of the box, barely an hour of running. The detail, the warmth, the clarity, just gorgeous. HAHA, just noticed in the pic, the tube in the top left is the Japanese Mullard which I also love. As of right now, it is 2nd to this beast. Everytime I look at my damn Vali all I do is laugh.

 

[Robert Padgett]

This is getting ridiculous thanks to Tube Depot. Socket Saver + 6SN7 to 6922 Adapter + JJ 6SN7. Looks dumb as all hell, but oh lord does it sound beautiful! Steely Dan with Babylon Sisters is buttery smooth, and this is out of the box, barely an hour of running. The detail, the warmth, the clarity, just gorgeous. HAHA, just noticed in the pic, the tube in the top left is the Japanese Mullard which I also love. As of right now, it is 2nd to this beast. Everytime I look at my damn Vali all I do is laugh.

It is a beautiful sight!